October 9, 2008

Literary Fluff: Revisited

I just finished Sloane Crosley's book of essays, I Was Told There'd Be Cake, and overall found it to be a quick entertaining little read.

I particularly enjoyed "One-Night Bounce," describing Crosley's evolving notions of sex throughout her adolescence, and subsequent (and failed) attempts to engage in a meaningless one-night stand.

"The second I was old enough to know what sex was, I knew I wanted to have a one-night stand. To me, it seemed the most deviant, cool, subversive, and flaot-out dirty thing there was. I wanted to do it immediately. Largely because I had no idea what it entailed. I figured a one-night stand happened when two people, one of whom was a woman, went to a man's apartment for martinis and stood on the bed the entire time, trying not to spill them. Sometimes they bounced on the bed until they hit their heads on the ceiling, and that's how the girl (a) passed out or (b) knew it was time to go home."

Still, it remained somewhat confusing at certain points, with some sentences and passages not really connecting logically to those prior. Often there was something just a little bit off in the wording that left me going "huh?" and backtracking to see if I had missed something. It seemed like in an effort to be witty and use outlandish similes, Crosley sometimes sacrificed adherence to sensible diction and grammar.

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About Me

Hi. I recently moved to NYC with my husband and kitty. I'm still trying to concoct a life plan. I like white kitchen cabinets, clothes, peoplewatching, bookshelves, dancing, food, and things that sparkle. Restaurant donations are welcome. Reality checks are discouraged.